


Reunion

by eliniel



Series: Emet-Selch/WoL [3]
Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: Crying, F/M, Relief, Sad
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-16
Updated: 2019-07-16
Packaged: 2020-06-29 16:12:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,072
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19833784
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eliniel/pseuds/eliniel
Summary: After the events of Shadowbringers, the grief-stricken Warrior of Light travels back to the replicated city of Amaurot at Ryne's behest.





	Reunion

**Author's Note:**

> Not a part of the Not As It Seems series, but if you enjoy this, please think about checking them out. More Emet-Selch/WoL content to come :)

As my companions celebrated with the Exarch and the townspeople of the Crystarium, I stood apart. They were happy- and I did not fault them for it. They had a right to be happy about saving the world. 

But me? My spirits could not be lifted. I mourned, deeply, for that hideous loss of life. The sad soul that my very hands had extinguished from the earth. 

A lot of the things he’d done were horrible, of course. But, was he really doing them on his own volition? Zodiark is a greedy and hungry God. He was only doing what he thought right for his people. 

Afterall, you are the hero of your own story, but the villain of another’s.

I leaned against the railing on my own, arms crossed, talking to no one. Just merely observing. Ironic, isn’t it, how alike we both are in some senses?

Ryne, ever perceptive, had noticed and separated from Thancred’s side for a moment to speak with me.

“It’s alright to be sad,” she assured me, placing a hand on my arm. For a girl so young, she was incredibly smart. Of course, I felt she may also have been, at least a little, sympathetic to _his_ cause as well. “Are you going for a walk? Do you want me to come with you?”

I gave her a sad smile and tucked a lock of her long red hair behind her ear. 

“Stay here with our friends.” She lifted a hand to her breast, looking a little put-out that I didn’t want her company, but nodded her understanding.

“Okay.”

I stood up from my position and turned to go.

“Maybe…,” the girl started, making me pause. “Maybe go back to the city.” Her suggestion made me turn back around. She was not looking at me, but off to the side, concentration etched into her blue eyes. 

I looked at her, skeptically, but I knew enough about her to know I should heed her words, wise beyond her years. 

And so, I slipped out and headed back to the Tempest. To the city Emet-Selch had created for himself. To the city he’d left behind- possibly for me to inherit. To remember. 

When I arrived at the aetheryte, I looked around at the peaceful streets, heart aching. My eyes pricked and I took a few deep breaths, trying to keep myself composed, although I knew not who I was trying to impress. 

I walked, slowly, taking everything in. When I was here last, I had been in a hurry to end it all. I had not taken the time to admire the scenery.

As I ventured about, I could not help but feel a stab of resentment towards Ryne for sending me here, no matter how insistent she had sounded. 

And just as the thought crossed my mind, I felt it.

A familiar pull on my own aether. A gasp escaped my lips and before I knew it, I was running through the city, frantically searching. 

H-How was this possible? I’d tore an axe of light through his chest. I-

I stopped, my legs burning, and my lungs ready to burst. This recreation was huge- how would I ever be able to pinpoint-

A shuffle of feet to my left. I turned my head, still hunched over, gasping for air. A shade stood a few yalms away from me, hands folded in the sleeves of his robe. All of these...reflections of people looked the same to me, but somehow I recognized him.

Hythlodaeus. 

“He-He’s here,” I said between breaths. “Isn’t he?”

The shade simply nodded. 

“Where?”

Without a word, he looked past me. I stood up straight, goosebumps rising on my skin, and turned. I let out a gasp. 

Emet-Selch was leaning against a streetlamp, hand over his chest where I’d thrown the axe, still clad in the same outfit I’d last seen him wearing. 

“Hello, hero,” he rasped. “Nice of you to visit-”

Before he could finish his sentence, my chin started trembling, the sob I had been struggling to hold back since I’d entered the Tempest rising quickly in my throat. 

I breathed hard, trying to keep the tears from spilling out of my eyes, but he smiled at me- a true smile, and I was overcome. 

I stumbled over to him, dropping to my knees at his feet, my knees hitting the stone of the street, hard. I covered my face with my hands, entire body shaking with the force of my cries. 

“Oh, my dear hero,” he said, quietly, and sighed. “You need not cry anymore.”

He grunted in pain as he knelt in front of me, grasping my shoulders.

“Look at me,” he ordered. “I’m right here. I’m real.”

Emet-Selch let go of me long enough to take his clawed gloves off and pulled my hands away from my face. I reached out, bunching the fabric of his robe in my fists, tears still streaming down my cheeks and dripping off my chin. I found solid skin through the hole I’d left. 

My eyes widened.

“What a sight you are,” he noted, gold eyes roving over my face.

I huffed a laugh, trying to calm my sobs.

“I thought I’d-I’d-,” I whined.

“Hush, now. You won’t be rid of me that easily.”

With his thumbs, he wiped the water from my face. I laughed again, a smile finally breaking through my sorrow. 

I wanted to hit him- I wanted to punch him-

Instead, with my hands still balled in his robe, I forcibly pulled him against me, and wrapped my arms around him back. 

I felt him embrace me back, but not as tight. 

“Hero,” he started, his voice pained. “You’re much stronger than me right now. Would-would you be so kind as to not squeeze so hard?”

Immediately, I released him, fearing I’d hurt him again. 

“S-Sorry-”

“I did not say you could release me, now did I? I just requested you loosen your grip.”

My lips tugged upward, his usual arrogant expression plastered to his face. I shook my head, and took a deep, shuddering, but calming breath. 

I wound my arms loosely around his waist, clasping my hands together at the small of his back and laid my forehead against his collarbone. He put a hand on the back of my head and buried his face in the crook on my neck. 

I sighed, relieved. 

_Thank you, Ryne._

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [sympathy](https://archiveofourown.org/works/20681078) by [deere](https://archiveofourown.org/users/deere/pseuds/deere)




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